Patents Assigned to ETA SA Manufacture Horlogère Suisse
  • Patent number: 11402805
    Abstract: A device for measuring horological shakes, including a structure carrying an articulated mechanism with a compliant mechanism having a linear force/stroke characteristic connecting a first fixed element to a second element capable of moving linearly under the effect of an actuator manoeuvring same in a contactless manner in both directions, and a position sensor determining the position of the second element in a direction, and a load sensor determining the variation in the axial pushing or pulling load of the second element carrying a gripper clamping a mobile component, and/or the variation in the gradient of this load, generating a signal for triggering the position measurement during each sudden change in gradient of the load in each direction of running, to determine the shake of the mobile component, by comparing the positions measured during the sudden changes in gradient during the outward and return strokes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere Suisse
    Inventors: Murielle Richard, Fabrice Ganguin
  • Publication number: 20220235438
    Abstract: An assembly (10), in particular fora timepiece, including a rotary wheel and a bearing, like a jewel (20), the rotary wheel being provided with at least one pivot (17) including at least partly a non-magnetic material, preferably entirely, the bearing including a face (6) provided with a hole (8) formed in the body of the bearing and with a functional geometry at the entrance of the hole (8), wherein the functional geometry has the shape of a cone (12), and wherein the non-magnetic material of the pivot (17) includes an alloy to be chosen from materials containing copper, materials containing palladium or materials containing aluminium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2021
    Publication date: July 28, 2022
    Applicant: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogère Suisse
    Inventors: Cyril RUCHTI, Xavier BERDAT, Frédéric KOHLER
  • Patent number: 11385598
    Abstract: A portable object including a control stem, actuation of which in rotation can control at least one electronic or mechanical function of the portable object, a magnetized ring driven in rotation by the control stem, rotation of the magnetized ring and position of the magnetized ring being detected by two inductive sensors configured to be sensitive to a variation in magnetic induction in only two directions in space that are parallel to each other or that converge on a same point, with exception of a case in which these two directions are perpendicular to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere Suisse
    Inventors: Vittorio Zanesco, Pascal Lagorgette, Pascal Meyer, Damien Schmutz, Raphael Balmer
  • Patent number: 11353829
    Abstract: A watch case including a thumbwheel for controlling a watch function, configured to be manipulated by a user, movable inside a housing and configured to allow a limited translational motion of one portion of the thumbwheel in a radial direction of the case, against an elastic return configured to move the portion away from an interior of the case. The housing includes a control detector detecting presence of the portion close to the center of the case when pressure is applied by a user, and configured to activate or deactivate a sensor included in the case in proximity to the housing, configured, when a rotational movement is imparted to the thumbwheel by the user, to detect passage of a transmitter included in the thumbwheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere Suisse
    Inventors: Vincent Meyer, Raphael Balmer, Pascal Lagorgette
  • Publication number: 20220171338
    Abstract: A fixing device for adjusting the clearance of a balance. At least one fixing device including at least one stud holder, at least one bearing body, at least one support member and at least one holding member. At least one bearing body is configured to move relative to at least one stud holder so as to fix the adjustment of the clearance of the balance and at least one support member is configured to press at least one bearing body against at least one stud holder before being held by at least one holding member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2021
    Publication date: June 2, 2022
    Applicant: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogère Suisse
    Inventors: Julien SAGLINI, Raphaël COURVOISIER
  • Publication number: 20220137558
    Abstract: A mechanical horological movement (1) including at least one barrel system (2) for driving a set of wheels and power reserve detector. The detector (10) includes a control wheel (3) disposed opposite the cage of the barrel system (2) and is rotated by a complementary wheel (8) at the differential output to determine a power reserve level. An aperture (13) has a first end (21) to define a complete charge of the barrel system and a second end (22) to define a complete discharge. A lever (4) is rotatably mounted about a lever axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the control wheel. A contact element (5) disposed in the aperture contacts the second end during a zero power reserve indication. A portion of the lever contacts a component of the movement to stop its operation when power reserve indication is at zero.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2021
    Publication date: May 5, 2022
    Applicant: ETA SA MANUFACTURE HORLOGÈRE SUISSE
    Inventors: Stephane BACHMANN, Julien SAGLINI, Laurent KLINGER, Baptist WYSSBROD
  • Publication number: 20220104591
    Abstract: A case (2) for a wristwatch (1) including: a middle part (4) including a wall (10) having two attachment areas (12) of the bracelet (24) disposed on either side of a plane (P) transverse to the middle part (4) substantially perpendicular to a back (20) of the case (2); two horns (6) capable of ensuring the complete attachment of the bracelet (24) to the middle part (4) by being connected to different ends of this bracelet (4), said horns (6) being removably and slidably attached to said attachment areas (12), and the back (20) attached to a mounting area (21) of the case (2) participating in blocking the horns (6) in translation in a direction of sliding (D) on the middle part (4) parallel to a central axis (A) of the case (2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2021
    Publication date: April 7, 2022
    Applicant: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogère Suisse
    Inventors: Olivier MAHLER, Patrick CANO, David Benjamin KRAEHENBUEHL, Roger MULLER
  • Publication number: 20220091562
    Abstract: A horological resonator mechanism, including a structure and an anchoring unit from which is suspended at least one inertial element arranged to oscillate along a first degree of freedom in rotation RZ about a pivoting axis extending along a first direction Z, the inertial element being subjected to return forces exerted by a virtual pivot including a plurality of substantially longitudinal elastic strips, each fastened, at a first end to the anchoring unit, and at a second end to the inertial element. Each elastic strip is deformable essentially in a plane XY perpendicular to the first direction Z. The anchoring unit is suspended from the structure by a flexible suspension arranged to allow the mobility of the anchoring unit along a plurality of degrees of freedom including at least two in the plane XY, along a direction X and along a direction Y orthogonal to the direction X.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2021
    Publication date: March 24, 2022
    Applicant: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogère Suisse
    Inventors: Pascal WINKLER, Raphaël COURVOISIER, Jean-Luc HELFER, Jérôme FAVRE, Dominique LECHOT
  • Patent number: 11281163
    Abstract: An electronic timepiece with a first and second electric motors for driving time indicating hands with a set of gear wheels, and a microcontroller connected to the motion sensor and controlling each motor. A motion sensor includes a movable element arranged to move freely inside a structure connected to the timepiece movement. As a function of the position and movement of the moving element inside the housing, a first and second electric signals, different from each other, are generated by the motion sensor for the microcontroller in a defined time period to determine whether the timepiece is in use. If only one electric signal is detected by the microcontroller in the defined time period, the timepiece changes into a sleep mode, by stopping at least the first electric motor intended to drive the seconds hand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere Suisse
    Inventors: Vittorio Zanesco, Pascal Lagorgette
  • Patent number: 11283371
    Abstract: A rotating piezoelectric motor including a piezoelectric actuator including a resonator having a pair of arms connected at one of their ends in a connection area, the other two ends being referred to as ‘free’, a passive element able to be driven in rotation by the friction of the free ends on the passive element, the passive element including a disc and a rim extending from the periphery of the disc, the rim passing between the free ends of the arms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere Suisse
    Inventors: Pascal Lagorgette, Pascal Meyer
  • Patent number: 11262704
    Abstract: A watch case for a wristwatch including a watch middle, at least one strut for supporting the watch middle, the strut extending beyond the space occupied by the watch middle, a device for removably attaching a watch strap to the strut. The watch case further includes a member for fixing the strut or one of the struts to the watch middle, the removable attachment device being formed when the strut is fixed to the watch middle, and the fixing member includes a device for detaching the strut from the watch middle, configured to allow release of the strut from the watch middle without using tools, the strut being removably fixed to the watch middle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere Suisse
    Inventor: Didier Finck
  • Patent number: 11262702
    Abstract: A timepiece oscillator structure includes at least one divisible unit, which includes at least one component which includes at least one flexible blade or at least one blade with necks, joining two main units, each more rigid than the flexible blade or blade with necks, where the divisible unit includes at least one protection unit adjacent to at least one main unit to which it is connected by at least one divisible linkage which is designed in order to make possible the detachment of this protection unit from the component when the component is fixed, with at least the particular main unit which is adjacent to the protection unit, to a more rigid external element than the flexible blade or than the necks of the blade with necks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere Suisse
    Inventors: Daniel Mallet, Pierre Cusin, Raphael Courvoisier, Pascal Winkler
  • Patent number: 11243499
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for setting a quartz watch, the watch comprising an optical sensor and a microcontroller configured to receive electrical signals generated by the optical sensor, the method being performed by way of a portable electronic appliance comprising a point light source and a microcontroller configured to control said point light source, the method comprising the following steps: placing the optical sensor of the watch facing the point light source of the electronic appliance on the order of the microcontroller of the electronic appliance, flashing the point light source of the electronic appliance so as to form a sequence of light pulses corresponding to a coding of setting parameters, the sequence then being received by the optical sensor of the watch decoding the received light sequence, by way of the microcontroller of the watch, in order to recover the setting parameters on the order of the microcontroller of the watch, setting the watch according to the setting para
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere Suisse
    Inventors: Pascal Lagorgette, Raphael Balmer, Jean-Bernard Peters
  • Patent number: 11226592
    Abstract: A regulator key whose arms ensure clearance of a balance spring even in event of shocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere Suisse
    Inventors: Laurent Kaelin, Fabien Schlup
  • Patent number: 11219110
    Abstract: A method for managing a lighting of a zone of interest including at least one object liable to be manipulated by a user, the lighting being carried out by a main lighting device and a secondary lighting device both provided with electroluminescent elements, the method including identifying the user and/or the object; configuring the lighting of the zone of interest according to the profile of the identified user relative to vision and/or at least one characteristic of the identified object, the step including generating an instruction for controlling the lighting properties of the main lighting device and/or of the secondary lighting device according to criteria of visual perception of the object by the user; controlling the main lighting device and/or the secondary lighting device according to the instruction for controlling the lighting properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere Suisse
    Inventors: Dominique Dubugnon, Cédric Blatter
  • Publication number: 20210405587
    Abstract: A rotary wheel set system of a horological movement with a rotary wheel set, a first and a second bearing, for a first and a second pivot of the arbor of the rotary wheel set, the wheel set including a mass center in a position of its arbor, the first bearing including an endstone including a main body equipped with a pyramidal cavity configured to receive the first pivot of the arbor of the rotary wheel set, the cavity having at least three faces giving its pyramidal shape, the first pivot being capable of cooperating with the cavity of the endstone to rotate in the cavity, at least one contact zone between the first pivot and a face being generated, the normal at the contact zone or zones forming a contact angle (?h) relating to the plane perpendicular to the arbor of the pivot, wherein the contact angle (?h) is less than 45°.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2021
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Applicant: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogère Suisse
    Inventors: Jean-Luc HELFER, Dominique LECHOT
  • Publication number: 20210405588
    Abstract: A rotary wheel set system of a horological movement with a rotary wheel set a first and a second bearing for a first and a second pivot of the arbor of the rotary wheel set, the wheel set including a mass center in a position of its arbor, the first bearing including an endstone including a main body equipped with a conical cavity configured to receive the first pivot of the arbor of the rotary wheel set, the first pivot being capable of cooperating with the cavity of the endstone to rotate in the cavity, at least one contact zone between the first pivot and the cavity being generated, the normals of the contact zone forming a minimum contact angle relating to the plane perpendicular to the arbor of the pivot, the minimum contact angle being less than or equal to 30°, preferably less than or equal to arctan (½)
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2021
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Applicant: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogère Suisse
    Inventors: Jean-Luc HELFER, Dominique LECHOT
  • Publication number: 20210396516
    Abstract: A navigation instrument including an orientation angle calculation unit, in particular the first and second orientation angles, wherein the orientation angle calculation unit is configured to be able to determine the first and second orientation angles in a given order and also in reverse order; and wherein the calculation unit is arranged to be able to choose between said given order and said reverse order, to calculate the first and second orientation angles, based on a comparison between an indicator of a risk of error, quantifying a risk of instability of said unit during the determination of the first and second orientation angles, and a predetermined threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2021
    Publication date: December 23, 2021
    Applicant: ETA SA MANUFACTURE HORLOGÈRE SUISSE
    Inventor: Romain BESUCHET
  • Publication number: 20210397137
    Abstract: A method for automatically correcting the time and/or the date for a self-correcting watch including at least one receiving member, at least one detecting member, and at least one processing unit for implementing the correction method. The correction method includes at least one step of receiving at least one datum, at least one step of detecting the wrong time and/or the wrong date and at least one step of correcting the time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2021
    Publication date: December 23, 2021
    Applicant: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogère Suisse
    Inventor: Pascal LAGORGETTE
  • Publication number: 20210397135
    Abstract: A watch with annual calendar setting, the watch including at least one setting member configured to displace an hour hand and/or a minute hand, at least one detecting member configured to detect the date change, and at least one central processing unit configured to deduce the set date, to actuate the motor and to implement the annual calendar setting method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2021
    Publication date: December 23, 2021
    Applicant: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogère Suisse
    Inventor: Pascal LAGORGETTE